I’m part of a group on flickr that gets a challenge every 2 weeks… This time around the challenge is minimalism. So off Coulee, Marlin and I went to the university where there is a pretty cool sculpture thing I thought we could use. It is nothing like what I normally shoot, but I quite like it!

Great article! It's somewhat funny to me because our pit got sprayed by a skunk, tore a nail, and broke out in hives all within a two-week span. I will be trying the benadryl for the hives. Have you ever run into severe dry skin issues with your pits? Ours scratches her face until she bleeds. She also gets something similar to diaper rash between her legs and belly during the winter/spring. And she just started licking her paws CONSTANTLY over the past year. I found an aloe spray for dogs that seems to keep the dry skin under control, but I have to apply multiple times a day, every day. It starts all over again if I miss a day.BAD RAP Blog

Apparently I am incapable of blogging more than once a month. No matter how good my intentions are.

We got Summit’s eyes fixed about 3 weeks ago. Everything went smoothly although they aren’t looking normal yet. We have reached the stitches-are-dissolving-and-his-eyes-are-goopy-and-disgusting stage. :)

He is very much an “out of sight, out of mind” kind of dog. For example, we went snowshoeing the other day, and Marlin went into the outhouse for about 60 seconds. When he stepped out, Summit was shocked to see him and didn’t know who he was. LOL.

The nice thing about that aspect of his personality is that he’s really easy to distract if he is doing something naughty like harassing the cats. I lazy throw of a toy is enough to draw him away.

Coulee has been playing with him like crazy. It’s super nice to see. She doesn’t bully him nearly as much as she does Lacey and they can actually sustain play for 15-30 minutes at a time. (Usually when Coulee plays with Lacey it deteriorates after a few minutes and we have to put a stop to it). Lacey has been like Jeckyl and Hyde with Summit. She can go from wrestling with him to snarling fiercely in the blink of an eye. She’s usually more inclined to play with him outside in the backyard or when we are out on a walk but not always. For a while I was thinking she wasn’t feeling very good but she isn’t showing any other signs so I think it’s just her being crabby.

Lacey’s fur has grown back and you can’t even tell she had surgery on her back not that long ago. That’s pretty much it in “dog news”.

Do you remember a few weeks ago when I said my niece, Allison, had signed up to be a dog-sitter on DogVacay? She’s in the Cincinnati, Ohio area, if any of you are looking for a sitter. After a few initial hiccups (one of her dogs had a seizure while she was giving a prospective […]

I have worked as a trainer in shelters as well as out. I never recommend a prong collar be someones first choice in training (or an e-collar for that matter), I always work up to it. If you have a dog that has aggressive tendencies, then yes, causing pain/discomfort or using harsh correction can make the problem worse. Extremely timid dogs shouldn't have harsh training methods either as it causes more fear than trust. Really, you need to know the dog you are working with. With that said, many people I know that have working dogs, show dogs, and obedience/rally dogs use prong collars. I myself use one when walking my 6 year old hound. She is well trained, knows commands in 2 languages, does rally, but ultimately is a hunting dog so when we are out and she sees prey she can lunge to chase. I had back surgery last year and cant afford to be injured. With the prong correctly placed on her she knows not to do that. When the leash starts to tighten it reminds her that if she lunges she will get a correction. I don't get hurt, and she doesn't have a collar compressing her windpipe or a head halter jerking her head. Anyone using one should be trained to use it properly and should be working with their dog on obedience. The collar is then a back up for your training; a reminder.BAD RAP Blog

No, Greenies, Exxon Did Not Hide 'The Truth' About Global Warming
This column is sponsored by my kind friends at ExxonMobil: the Gaia-raping, children-of-the-future-murderers you can trust! No, of course it isn't really and that's my only serious beef with ExxonMobil. It ought to support its media defenders but it …Read more on Breitbart News

The Government's New Anti-Extremism Booklet Links Greenies And “Alternative …
Tony Abbott might not be Prime Minister anymore, but his legacy of spectacular fuck-ups lives on in policy decisions made under his leadership that are only now beginning to see the light of day. It's like digging for buried treasure, only instead of …Read more on Junkee

The internet was abuzz this week with word about the changes to Delta’s pet flying policy. And as tends to happen, people got about 75% of the way there before they took a sharp left turn and read it incorrectly. Here is what you need to know:

As of March 1, 2016 pets will no longer be allowed as checked baggage. This does not mean pets over 30 pounds will be allowed in the cabin. It means they must fly as cargo, which is different than baggage. (More on that in a minute.) The exceptions to this rule will be active duty military travelling to new posts, and certified support animals.

2. The in-cabin policies have not changed.

Pets under 30 pounds have always been allowed to travel as carry-on in approved carriers. This policy does not affect that at all, nor does it allow animals into the cabin that it did not before.

3. Delta Cargo is probably going to be a lot safer for the pet than travelling as baggage.

When a pet is to travel, airlines require a health certificate signed by a veterinarian. One of the worst parts for me is when they require a “statement of acclimation“, stating that a pet is acclimated to temperatures above or below a certain range. I live in San Diego. Pets don’t get acclimated to 45 degrees here.

Even if you are flying a pet from San Diego to Miami, if there is a layover in Denver then the pet may be exposed to extreme temperatures during that period, and that is where trouble usually happens. No matter how you plan, delays and problems occur and most problems happen on the ground.

You would be surprised at the number of people who get upset when I say, “This isn’t safe for your pet. I can’t sign this statement.” Most do not agree to delay travel. They just find another vet willing to take on the liability. 74 pets died on Delta flights in the last ten years.

In cargo, pets will be in temperature controlled holds at all times in air and on the ground, not sitting on the tarmac in the rain and snow (it happens). They will also utilize professional kennel services if overnight stays become necessary. While airlines do temperature and pressure control luggage holds, cargo areas often have a separate controlled temperature area specifically for temperature sensitive cargo, and this is where pets will go.

4. It’s going to be a pain.

There is no guarantee you and your pet will be on the same flight

It’s probably going to be more expensive

The pickup and drop off locations will probably be somewhere other than baggage claim

United has a similar plan in place already if you’re wondering how this will probably look. PetSafe costs in the $ 200-$ 2000 range and they have a long list of restrictions for breeds, most notably brachycephalic breeds. (But English Bulldogs shouldn’t be flying in cargo ever anyway.) In short, you’re going to have to REALLY want to travel with your pet.

5. Plan ahead.

Have your ducks in a row in terms of appropriate kennels, health requirements, and travel dates. International travel with pets can require a TON of work. To make it even more fun, domestic travel cannot be booked more than 14 days ahead of time. Those people who start thinking about this stuff a week before they’re supposed to depart are going to be in for a major surprise.

The liability of pets in luggage compartments has been a headache for veterinarians and airlines for many years, so I can’t complain about this. Whether this change is due to a genuine concern for pets, bad PR, or financial liability doesn’t really matter to me- all I care about is the fact that this is a good change for travelling pets.

On New Year’s Eve, I was able to fill the final doe tag. West Virginia has a final doe season split in some counties, where you can take a doe during the last three days of the year. I got her on the last fifteen minutes of the season, with a .243 (Remington 788 model).

I saw two does come out just before dark, and I was able to put clean heart shot on the larger of the two. The state DNR has requested that hunters in certain counties take does, especially larger ones that will likely have twins in the spring, in order to control the deer population.